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DJ Shadow – The Less You Know, The Better

3/5 stars

Album review by Dave Kerr.

Published 26 September 2011

Abandoning the goodtime crunk and tombola-plucked guests of 2007’s die-hard riling The Outsider, Josh Davis returns with a jukebox album, bound to at least partially feed the appetites of fans from all other quarters.

Stay The Course’s vibrant b-boy approach (featuring the velvet tones of Posdnous) feels like classic Quannum, whereas the wails and snare breaks of Redeemed are sheer Endtroducing; upbeat instrumental jam Run For Your Life plays out like an off cut from The Private Press, and the John Carpenter meets Travis Bickle street sermon that is Give Me Back The Nights could make a convincing appendage to the criminally overlooked Dark Days score.

There are surprises, too: Border Crossing is essentially Shadow does thrash (at last!), while Tom Vek brings his laconic funk to Warning Call. Yet at times it’s a frustrating listen – almost every cut is a success in isolation, but the running order makes for a disjointed combination. Still, you’ve got to admire the scale of the guy’s ambition.